STRANGER ?
by MARSisred07
Summary: Meilin introduced Syaoran to a total stranger... or is she?
1. Chapter 1

Alright, this is my first CCS story. so please pardon me if the character are kinda OOC. SORRY.

DISCLAIMER: i don't own CCS. (maybe that's why the characters are OOC.. lol)

please let me know your reactions. Thanks!

Here it goes..

_____________

**STRANGER (?)**

_Chapter 1_

It was Monday. And there is definitely no surprise why the school is early populated, mostly, by girls. Monday is actually no special day. It just so happened that this day is the P.E. day of the heartthrob of the campus. And thus, making it seem to be one.

Four years ago, the school never had something like this… Well, not until this auburn haired guy transferred to the school. In his whole stay in the prestigious academy, his popularity has never faded, even once.

No girl within the campus grounds can deny how famous he really is, given that all girls of all levels know him not only by the name but also by the face, and the honor.

Every time he passes though the corridor, there has never been a peaceful incident. Girls would go screaming at the highest pitch of their voices. Some would even lose consciousness and such. These happenings have developed into a natural phenomenon.

This day is just like those days... or maybe not.

Meilin can barely pass through the gymnasium grounds for it has been fully crowded by girls who were looking forward to seeing Syoaran in his P.E. uniform. There were even girls murmuring, "You know, our P.E. uniform only looks great when it is Syoaran who's wearing it." Meilin could only roll her eyes at the comment.

Meilin is also a noteworthy person in their school. Many guys were drooling over her and many girls were looking at her with high regards. At times, she's also the girl that other female were so envious of. And why not? First, she's beautiful, and smart, and talented. Second, she's Syaoran's cousin. Third, she's in the same class with him. And they are so close with each other. (If they just know that they were once engaged, no doubt, the more envious the girls would be)

She was still struggling for her way out of the crowd when they suddenly burst into screaming, a sign that the star is already there. The star... HER COUSIN. Then she found it harder to escape, now that they were all giggling and crushing onto each other. So, being the sporty Meilin, she made use of some Kung-Fu tricks and fortunately got out of the crowd. Jumping over the crowd was not that difficult for her, thus, making all attentions shift to the lady who was swiftly making her way over the mob. But she didn't mind at all. She headed straight to her cousin to greet him "good morning!" which is very natural of her. There were some sighs that can be heard from behind them.

Her cousin greeted her back.

As she was drawing closer to Syoaran, she suddenly thought of something... something to get rid of the annoying screams of the crowd, and of course, the crowd itself. Simply, she winked at Syoaran. And Syoaran got the idea immediately, excluding, of course, the way Meilin would do it. Anyway, he's used to this. All he has to do is to let Meilin take the lead.

As she, then, walked past him, he was dragged. And then they started running off the gymnasium grounds. As expected of the mob of girls, they followed the two. And just to their dismay, they failed to trace the path the two had gone into. So they've got no choice but to give up. Losing the reason for why they were in the gym, eventually, the multitude dissolved.

The cousins were actually on the roof of the gymnasium, thanks to their martial arts skills. Coincidentally, they sighed at the same time, which later became into a chuckle when they realized that they sounded hopeless.

After a while, they felt the need of going to class. Syoaran got off the roof first. Meilin was about to leap already when she caught a glimpse of something or someone familiar from behind her eyes. She checked on it and was suddenly filled with mixed confusion and excitement upon recognizing that someone.

She fell into some deep thinking for a few seconds until her attention was called by her cousin who was directly below from where she's standing.

Being careful of not looking suspicious, she immediately leaped off the roof and said a silent sorry.

Syaoran headed off to the class first with Meilin following, still thinking.

After a few more seconds of confusion, she finally decided to go check her senses out. She has to make sure that the person she THOUGHT she saw is indeed the person she saw. And if it was confirmed, then she would have to lay her plans out as soon as possible.

"Oh!!! Li, I think I forgot something in the locker room... Maybe, you just go first. Alright?" Meilin excused.

"A-alright." Syoaran murmured under his breath.

Meilin run as fast as she could to the direction where she thought she saw the person.

When she reached the place, a girl with brown hair of shoulder length was immediately on sight. Her back was facing Meilin's direction, so she could not tell at once if it was really her.

She walked closer to the owner of the familiar hair color and hair style.

Getting closer, the girl must have sensed Meilin's presence, thus, facing her (which, in Meilin's pov happened dramatically). She went speechless upon the confirmation.

__

Syoaran could only wonder why in the world Meilin seemed to be very excited. He can even see her smiling to herself.

Right after she came back from the locker room (as he believed she was from), she was already like this. Singing and dancing and full of energy... well... not that this was the first time seeing Meilin this energetic, but there is something different with the energy she's got today. Besides, as he remembered, Meilin was almost late when she got back. But when he tried asking her what took her so long when the locker room is just across the gymnasium, Meilin just gave her a sly smile while saying "I just checked out on something," and immediately walked past him leaping and whistling a joyful hymn.

Well, then, he was left wondering until now.

when the professor announced that the class has ended, she immediately jumped out of her seat and fled her way out of the place, still not forgetting to tap his cousin on the shoulder to say, "I'll go ahead Li!"

Before the next class, they still got an hour and a half, so he got more suspicious of his cousin. But did not bother to investigate nor inquire.

Right after having changed, he headed to the library alone.

As he sat down, and laid his books on the table, he noticed a piece of paper in between the pages of his book. When he came to check it out, memories came rushing back to him. The memories with the person he was with in the picture. The same person he has been missing a lot. The person he has been sending letters to. And the person he said he'll...

His thoughts were distracted by a light tap on his shoulder. It was Meilin.

He immediately placed the picture back to where he got it even though he quite knows that Meilin saw it. She even followed it with her eyes then smiled.

"You miss her. Don't you?" Meilin thoughtfully asked, wearing a gentle look on her face.

Syaoran sat still.

"I'll take that as a yes," she said as she sat on the chair across Syaoran.

Then a short silence followed. It was only broken when Syaoran gave Meilin a questioning look.

"Oh! Yeah!! I almost forgot my intention for coming here!" she exclaimed, "I was actually fetching you."

"Fetching? Me? Why so?" Syaoran asked back.

Meilin looked around first before finally saying, "I'm going to introduce you to a new friend of mine."

"Huh?"


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: i hope you liked the first chapter. R&R please.

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own CCS.**

**STRANGER (?)**

**_Chapter 2_**

"Could you just tell me where we are going? So that you don't need to drag me all along." the auburn haired guy whined.

"I'm afraid I can't" Meilin replied without even looking at her complaining cousin.

"Why not?" He tried asking again. But she just glared at him.

"Just don't ask, alright. I just have to make sure that you won't run away."

"Why would I? Are...you planning something, Meilin?" His resistance of Meilin's hold is becoming greater. But even though that is so, the girl he's talking to was in the midst of looking for someone that she didn't mind at all, "I told you, I was just going to introduce you to a new friend of mine. That's all," she said plainly, "And well, just think of this as an act of courtesy. Since she's new here, she doesn't know a lot of the place... besides; she might be going in our class so I am thinking this would be a good start."

He was about to argue when she showed signs of seeing what/who she was looking for.

And to the direction Meilin was looking, he finally saw the girl. And the sight made him feel uneasy, confused, puzzled and thoughtful for a moment. He was only seeing the back side of the girl. But even though, he cannot decide which emotion to show. The sight is so familiar.

"Hey!" Meilin called out.

As she turned around, Syaoran's world seemed to have stopped revolving.

"S-sakura..." He murmured under his breath, wide-eyed.

"Ehem!" Meilin called his attention.

"Correction... she is not Sakura... her name is Sakuno... Sakuno Okamoto" The girl who dragged him into this finally introduced, "and Sakuno... this is my cousin, Syaoran,"

"N-nice to meet you Syaoran-san," the emerald-eyed girl managed to greet, but the lad was standing still... trapped in a deep thought.

He was so sure that it was Sakura. It was really her. If not just by the name... he was pretty sure that it was Sakura... and not any other girl. It was Sakura. The girl he was with in the pictures he treasures a lot. The same girl he has been missing. The girl he has been sending letters to. The one and only girl who has ever caught his attention. The person whom he wants to be with until the rest of his life. And the girl he said he'll be coming back for. _"THIS IS SAKURA. I've got a strong feeling. Stronger than when a clow card is around,"_ he kept on convincing himself.

"A-Are you alright?" the girl standing right in front of him eyed him wearily. The emerald orbs of the girl were what snapped him back to reality.

He was a bit frightened that he took a step back to keep some distance with the girl.

"Y-yeah, I-I'm alright," he said, flustering into a deep tint of red.

"That's good to hear," she stated as she quietly sighed, just enough for him to hear it.

"A-Anyway, Meilin-san left already," she added.

He looked around first, and flustered a light pink when he realized that he went totally out of himself that he didn't even notice his cousin go.

"I-its alright," Sakuno said as she notice the blush on the lad's face, thus making him fluster more, "a-and anyway, she told me to give this to you before she went away," she, then handed him a small sheet of paper folded in two which read "I have some other thing to do, so please, take care of her. Don't worry; I'll be back as soon as I finish my task. Alright?"

As he thought he was finished reading the letter, "P.S. you could tour her around the town if you want to." ended by a smiley.

Sakuno could only follow him with her gaze as he quietly folded the paper back to how it was originally folded.

"That girl! I should have sensed this would happen," he thought to himself as he sighed inwardly. "I would bet she has planned this all along, being ready with the letter and such. tss"

Syaoran coincidentally caught the gaze of the girl standing in front of him who was a while longer looking at him. The coincidence, of course, made the both of them look away from each other and go red by the seconds. There was, then, as uneasy silence between the two. Without them noticing, they were actually gaining a lot of attention from the passers by who were all thinking that they make such a cute couple.

The heartthrob could not think of the easiest way of opening a conversation without sounding foolish or stammering at the very least. But somehow, this feeling felt so familiar to him. He knew this feeling. He knew he has felt this for someone before. And there were slight flashbacks running at the back of his mind. These thoughts somehow gave him the peace of mind he thought he really needed. Soon enough, he managed to put a smile on his face, even it was something he did unconsciously.

He just became mindful of it when he heard the girl he was with, sigh. Just as he heard it, he looked at her only to see her smiling gently at him- the smile he is very familiar with. The smile which took all his anxiousness away. He then, returned the smile, surprisingly, without blushing.

"You want to see the town?" the now-smiling guy asked the girl.

"sure." she plainly answered, returning the warm smile the lad has given her.

And they started walking. Though there was silence, it doesn't feel as awkward as the silence moments later had been.

While they were walking, Syaoran got the chance of paying a good look at the girl which really looked like her long-time girlfriend - Sakura. "If this is really Sakura, she had surely developed well." he thought, a thought which he immediately wanted to get out of his mind. It would be quite inappropriate to think like that especially that the girl is not his girlfriend and worse, that he has a girlfriend.

The last time Sakura sent him her latest picture was two weeks ago. And though they are constantly seeing each other through video calls, he still insists a printed one.

To help him erase the thoughts he was having, he tried to recall how Sakura looked like in the latest pictures. "I can remember that she really looked great in the picture...having a body of a fully developed lady," he described to himself, "then... then..." he can't restrain himself from giving quick stares to the lady walking a few steps in front of him. Convincing himself that he was not helping himself; he violently shook his head in desperation of keeping 'that' thought away from him. He then tried to remember more... other than 'that' description he gave himself moments ago.

"She's got longer hair in the pictures, right?" he continued recalling, "Yeah, she do... shoulder length I think." by that, he felt his eyes staring at the hair of the girl. It really looks like the hair of Sakura, same length in the pictures she gave him. the only difference is that, the hair of this girl is all tied up into a ponytail, while Sakura's were all laid down and clipped just like the way she has been clipping it when they were younger.

"..." Syaoran could think no more. He's becoming more convinced that this girl is indeed Sakura. But that is definitely impossible.

"Syaoran-san?" a girl's voice called out.

"Even the sound of their voice... it's all the same..." he wondered more.

"Syaoran-san?" She called for the second time. But the lad she was talking to was still spacing out.

"Li-kun!" she called out, almost a yell... and that brought him back to reality. Not because of the shout itself... but the familiarity of the way the girl had called him.

"Li... kun?" he voiced out.

"A-anou... I-I mean... Syaoran-san... I-I just heard Meilin-san addressing you like that so I... I thought that's what I must call you to... t-to get your attention..?" She immediately excused, not looking in the guy's direction, as if hiding her redden face. Her last few words fading out. She was also shocked by how she addressed the guy she was supposed to have met only this once. The shock was even showed in her face.

And now, the guy is much more suspicious rather than wondering.

They kept silent, then. And it continued until the heartthrob finally decided to break it, "you're Japanese, right?"

She gave him a questioning look which she quite knew he didn't see because he wasn't looking back, "uhm... yeah..." she answered, drawing her eyes away from the guy to the direction she was walking into.

"How about you?" you're also Japanese, right?" she managed to question back...

"Hn."

"Who was Japanese? Your mom or your dad?"

"My dad."

"And so your mom was the one from Hong Kong huh?"

"Hn." He simply looked at her then, as if expecting her to ask back but did not.

And so, there was another moment of silence.

"Do you have brothers? Or sisters?" She finally asked again.

"Only sisters. I have four. They're all older than me."

He felt her emerald eyes look at him, "Really? That's so cute."

He really intended to look back when she removed hers. She was smiling warmly and thoughtfully.

"I envy you. I really wanted an older sister. A sister-in-law would be just fine. But maybe, that would take sometime..." At the side of her eyes, she saw him look at her which encouraged her to continue.

"I only have an older brother. A very annoying one," she even showed it in her reaction, "but I really love that jerk..." followed by a gentle giggle.

"I was looking forward to the day he would finally introduce us to the girl he would say he would marry." then softly laughed.

"You have an older brother?" he was totally sounding puzzled.

"Uh-huh." she answered without even looking back.

"And anyway, do you know what drove us here in Hong Kong?" She asked, looking at the guy. But even so she didn't seem to notice how puzzled he look.

"My dad was a teacher, at the same time, a writer and he was assigned here in Hong Kong to teach." She explained while still walking.

"I'm sorry if I have to ask you this, where's your mom?" he managed to ask, but he sounded like he was in a complete loss.

She looked back at him and back to her direction, "She died in an accident when I was younger." She replied, maintaining that joyful voice as much as she can.

Another silence crept in. different thoughts running through Syaoran's head. There are so many questions he was thinking that he can't accommodate more. He was now totally baffled and mystified. And it shows on his face. He was in a total deep thinking that he didn't notice her smiling.

"Do you play any musical instrument?" She inquired.

Though he was still very exemplified by the possibilities of this girl being his girlfriend, he somehow managed to answer a no.

She giggled first before she reacted, "same here. I totally suck with things like those. I don't even sing... but my best friend does!"

_"...Alright! this is too much! This is really Sakura! I am now totally sure!"_ He announced to himself, his fists forming into a knuckle inside his pocket.

He was about to voice out his thoughts when she spoke, "How long have you been staying here in Hong Kong?"

He answered, "4 years at the most."

"Oh! So four years huh? Have you come back to Japan yet?"

"No. But I am planning, maybe this coming vacation."

"Really? That's great! So you could see your girlfriend already." She excitedly stated.

"H-How'd you know?" He wondered.

"Meilin-san told me." She bluntly answered. "She even told me that I look like your girlfriend. Is that right?"

With that stated, he found himself at the sea of confusion once again.

He kept silent, not for he was trying to imply that 'silence means yes' but because he was trying to register everything that has been said.

Her answers were almost saying (better yet or worse), she is Sakura herself. But it seems like it's the other way around. What would he believe in? He doesn't know.

No one was talking, most probably Syaoran who was in the middle of his deliberation, _"could it be that Sakura had some minor amnesia..."_

"But Meilin should have had sensed it also..."

"And if that is so, that would mean that it is only I who she have forgotten,"

He was walking behind this girl 'Sakuno', contemplating on the matter. His left hand in the left pocket of his slacks. Long before, he had developed this mannerism that when he is caught in a profound thinking, he would rest both of his hands inside his pockets. This is his own unique way of somehow calming his self down.

As he slid his hands inside his pocket, he felt his phone. At first, taking it for granted, when suddenly, a thought striked him.

This is the only way possible he could think of doing to settle the matter at hand. He immediately reached his phone and dialed the number of his beloved lover.

As soon as the phone got ringing, he kept his eyes on the girl walking ahead of him expecting that her phone would ring and that she would answer and he could finally conclude that this girl is really Sakura and not some Sakuno...

As he was to give up, thinking that his plan failed him and that she wasn't really Sakura, the girl started reaching for her phone, not even having the idea that it might be her lover - Syaoran. And much to her surprise, the screen of her phone read "Li-kun calling". And by then, she didn't had the chance to think nor to put into action what she might have thought the best reaction should be for she was immediately caged in the arms of Syaoran. She didn't even sense him approaching at the very least.

They stayed in that situation silently, Sakura's, or rather Sakuno's phone still ringing.

"I have been longing for this moment for four years now, you know?" the auburn haired guy gently whispered to the emerald-eyed girl.

"yeah, I know. And... same here," She amnswered as gentle as the guy had whispered it.

"why didn't you tell me?" He was insisting for an answer as what his voice sounded.

"I was about to. I went to your school to personally see you and tell it to you in person...*flashback starts*

*flashback*

"Hurry up big brother!" Sakura called out her brother who was walking lazily after her.

"Why are you so much in a hurry? No one's chasing you," whined his brother, "Besides, were just going straight home after this,"

"Oh! you mean, YOU'RE going straight home after this, don't you?" Elaborated his little sister.

"Oh no, I mean WE'RE going straight home after this. Alright?" Her brother elaborated even more.

"Oh c'mon! I already have dad's permission so I think YOU'RE going straight home ALONE after this." She retorted.

"How long have you been here yet, miss?"

"12 hours and counting. Why?"

"See? And you think that you already know the place? I bet you weren't even familiar with this area, are you?"

"That's why I would have to explore it."

"Stop picking up a fight, I'm not in the mood to fight a monster ya know?"

"Urgh! whatever you say, I'm not going with you jerk!"

"I'm sorry, but I think you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No!"

"Oh c'mon! Why don't you just tell me that you just want to see that brat you call your boyfriend. is it not the reason?"

"A-anou... E-etto..."

Her brother was stopped. And so was Sakura. Her brother seemed to have seen something from behind her. When she turned, it was Meilin and her frightened face. At the moment, they were both speechless. But after letting things sink in to them, they excitedly greeted each other. Soon enough, there were many questions, all of which were addressed to Sakura and how and when and why they were in Hong Kong.

But Meilin's time was limited so she asked Sakura to see her after both of them were done with their businesses.

After processing all papers of Sakura's transfer to the school, she went straight to the place Meilin had told her they would meet. Though she got some protests from her brother, Touya, he hasn't done anything.

Sakura was about four minutes late that's why she got a comment from Meilin, "You still haven't changed, have you?" Then giggled.

Then, Meilin laid her thoroughly-thought-out plan to Sakura.

"The plan is to make Syoaran believe that you are not really Sakura. so... uhm... I think we should change your name to... uhm..." Meilin then started thinking of a name which would sound close to Sakura Kinimoto. "Oh! I know! Sakuno Okamoto! What do you think huh?"

"Do you think this would work?" Sakura worried.

"Of course it would! As long as you act accordingly! So you would also have to make him confused.. Ya know, to make it more exciting!"

*flashback ends*

"Oh! Now I know how it all happened." Li commented after Sakura told him the whole story, "well, you bet you really acted great... as what's expected of you... my princess," he continued then laughed softly. Sakura laughed with him.

Slowly, some silence fell in between them. A comfortable one. Sakura just felt Li reaching out for her hands and held it... tightly... possessiveness is obvious.

They were privately sitting on a bench facing the direction of the sunset.

Soon enough, Li managed to look at the gentle face of his lover. She then looked back. And slowly, the gap between them was filled for a gentle kiss.

"Even though you confused me... a lot... my feelings would never really fail me. I love you." He whispered softly.


End file.
